This invention relates to a swivellable fastening system for a headlight unit and, more particularly, to a swivellable fastening system for a headlight unit on an excavator which includes a jib which is pivotally connected in a jib swivel block and which, by way of a working cylinder connected with a crank mechanism, can be swivelled into several working positions as well as into a transport position deposited on the excavator body.
In the case of utility vehicles it is known, for example see U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,134, to fasten headlights on control arms in such a manner that, with each movement of the working shovel, the headlight is correspondingly moved along.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a headlight unit on an excavator which is used only for driving in highway traffic.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a swivellable fastening system for a headlight unit on an excavator which includes a jib which is pivotally connected in a jib swivel block and which, by way of a working cylinder connected with a crank mechanism, can be swivelled into several working positions as well as into a transport position deposited on the excavator body. The headlight unit, by way of a holding arrangement supported in bearing arrangements of a connecting control arm of the crank mechanism, is fastened in a swivellable manner such that the headlight unit, in the transport position of the jib, is arranged approximately in a vertical transverse plane (X--X) of the vehicle with another headlight unit arranged in a fixed manner. The headlight unit has a cone of light with an angle (.alpha.) aligned in the driving direction. The headlight unit can be swivelled into the working position with the connecting control arm.
The principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that, in the case of an excavator, because of the fissured forward structure, a fastening system of a headlight unit on the vehicle, which corresponds to regulations, cannot be sufficiently achieved.
In order to arrange the two headlight units in approximately the same vehicle transverse plane in the forward area of the excavator for driving on a road, the one headlight unit arranged on the right side, because of a lack of a fastening site, is fastened on the vehicle body on bearings of a crank mechanism of the jib, for example.
The connection of this headlight unit is accomplished by way of a holding arrangement which includes connecting arms which are held on pins of the bearing arrangements for a connecting control arm of the crank mechanism.
As a result, the movement of one headlight unit corresponds to the movement of the connecting control arm. In the transport position of the jib, that is, when the headlight unit is deposited against the driving direction in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle on the excavator body, the headlight unit takes up a position in which the center axis of the unit extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and, together with another headlight unit which is fixedly disposed on the vehicle body, is arranged approximately in a transverse plane. By means of this arrangement, the cone of light of the movably arranged headlight unit is arranged in an unimpaired manner corresponding to the other unit and has a maximal scatter.
When the jib is swivelled into a working position, the headlight unit moves along in a corresponding manner and, in the case of a maximal swivel position of the jib close to the outer wall of the body, takes up a position in such a manner that the center axis of the headlight unit extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
The headlight can be adjusted in a longitudinal plane as well as in the transverse direction and in the vertical direction, for example, in the bearing arrangements and/or by the stop and/or by the connecting control arms. A tolerance and deformation compensation is also possible. In particular according to the invention, it is important that, for this purpose, the rear pin (with respect to the driving direction) is held in an oblong hole of the plate. Furthermore, for the compensation, the forward pin is held in an oblong hole of the bearing arrangement.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.